Lasioderma serricorne
Tobacco beetles ( Lasioderma serricorne )
The tobacco beetle ( Lasioderma serricorne ) is a beetle of the family of furniture beetle ( Ptinidae ). He is a pest that mainly feeds on tobacco products, but also food.
Features
Tobacco beetles are between two and four millimeters in size, have a reddish-brown color, are hairy and can fly. The flight time of the beetle is about one to two months. The larvae are close ling like.
Synonyms
- Ptinus serricorne Fabricius, 1792
- Xyletinus brevis Wollaston, 1861
- Lasioderma castaneum Melsheimer, 1845
- Lasioderma testaceum Stephens, 1835
- Ptilinus testaceus Duftschmid, 1825
Way of life
The tobacco beetle lays its eggs in preference from cigars and other tobacco products. Not infrequently, these eggs are then imported into the cigar. For this reason, many tobacco Importers freeze their goods upon receipt of a short to kill the eggs. Does not happen, the larva in the humidor can develop in ideal conditions. She feeds on tobacco and often depends on considerable damage. Infested cigars externally visible through small holes of the beetle on the front cover, through the hatch the larvae. Such cigars should be removed immediately from the humidor to prevent further damage.
The proliferation of the beetle depends on the climate and on the food supply, but also in ideal conditions, the beetles usually lay eggs only for one generation.